Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-22
The Value of O. Name.
EnoinAoripU Npyxc

The promoters of the Manchester Ship
Canal are said to have already expended
$1,75O,000 in furthering their scheme,
and the first sod has yet to be turned.
AS the total estimate cost IS $28, $4,000,
represents very handsome percentage
of the amount tC be expended in simpI
"getting ready" The usual addition OF
10 per cent. "for contingencies" would be
far out in this case. In this preliminary
expense sheet there is said to be fee of
$4,000 paid the late James B. Eads
for a professional opinion. If this is
correct, and there seems little reason to
doubt it, this is probably the largest pro-
fessional single fee ever paid to an
American engineer. And with all due
credit to Mr.. Eads, it shows the value of
wide reputation as a man of sound
natural Judgment and experience in
great undertakings as compared with
that of the more modest engineer proper
who has only extensive but purely pro-
fessional experiences to recommend him.
The professional position of Mr.. Eads,
as an engineer, is rather difficult to de-
fine. He was a purely self-made man
and entirely without what is recognized
as technical education as an engineer,
and yet he possessed in a high degree
and made excellent use of that inherent
something, without which lie best trained
engineer in the world will not succeed.
He instirctively understood both the
management of men and matter. and
without the knowledge necessary to figure
strain sheet, not only was he the execu-
tive engineer in building what was in its
day the bridge of boldest span, but he
also so impressed others who we're not
engineers with his ability to carry out
his projects, and with his sound judg-
mcnt in advancing plans that they fur
nished him with all the money required.
His skill in managing affairs was well ex-
emplifed in this case, where the actual
cost of this then novel feat of engineer
ing was about 100000 on an original
estimate of less than 100000. His
great work in opening the mouth of the
Mississippi to navigation was also the re-
suit of the possession of other accom-
plishments than that OF pure engineering
knowledge alone. He doubtless had an
advantage over engineers generally in
having made almost a life-study of the
river he proposed to improve, and he had
become familiar with its vagaries and
power by long service in that best of all
schools-the school of experience. But
when he had convinced himself that he
could accomplish the task before hun, be
had all the courage of his convictions.
and risked his own fortune, and persuad-
ed others to risk theirs, in battling pro-
fessional, personal and political prtjs-
dice, and only won by finally offering to
do all he promised or no pay. When it
came to the work the engineering was
really simple, and what there was of it
was carried out by other hands. His
supreme executive ability and confidence
in himself, and net his engineering skill
or reputation, was what won the battle.
And it was the boldness of his projects
and the marked success with which he
foand men and means TO carry them out
that made his name famous on both
sides of the Atlantic and made an ex-
eressions of his judgment valuable to